Tasty Thoughts

Do you love your dog? Your cat? Your parakeet? Your pygmy marmoset? If you're like most people in a developed, first-world country, you do. But how much do you love them? I say there's a good chance that you love them too much. And not just you lonely sheep farmers, I'm talking to you, middle America.

Now animal abuse should not be tolerated.  The companionship of an animal can be invaluable, and is to millions of people across this planet. Animals do a lot of good, chiefly because they bring happiness. Furry little packages of happy. That's so cute I just threw up in the back of my mouth a little.

But every time I hear someone call their dog their "baby" or their "kid", I want to stamp their skull into the pavement. Too violent? Let me qualify it: The person's skull, not the pet's. Foreigners, take note that it is now okay because in the US of A we value pets over people.

You can interpret your own damn statistics. Isn't it enough I'm providing them for you?
-45.4 Billion.  That's the number of dollars spent on pets in the USofA in 2008
-62.6 Billion.  That the number of dollars spent on public education in the USofA in 2008. All of it.
-5000.  The estimated number of animal shelters in the USofA
-1500.  The (rough) number of shelters for abused women/children in the USofA
-$6.8 Million. The amount of Michael Vick's 2-year deal with Philly, signed in 2009
-80,500. The number of people Michael Vick's salary could have saved from homelessness

In 2006 animal rights activists tried to block an oceanic wind farm from construction off the coast of California because it would disrupt the migratory paterns of a nearly extinct species of bird. 

Birds are food. Food is something we can't live without. Energy is something we can't live without. The logical solution?  Eat all but 2 of the birds - one male, on female. Feed the rest to those battered women and homeless kids that we just don't give a shit about. Then put the remaining birds in a zoo where we can all marvel at them and pine over their sad fate. Our kids can watch their bizzare mating practices and kackle with glee. The birds can do it a bunch, then our grandkids can point and kackle at their kids. Which we will be able to do, because we didn't do something stupid like risk our own continued survival to protect a species dying of natural causes. Eff you, California. Don't come crying to me when the San Andreas Fault decides to shake your appletini's for you once and for all!

Animals have their place in this world. We need to recognize where that is: Under us in the food chain, but not under our boot. It's time for logic, reason, and rationality. It's time for real, honest thought.

And your pet is not a child. Well, not your child anyway. Weirdo.

New and Improved! Better Tasting! Fortified with Vitamins and Minerals!

So I kept up with this really well for a month or so. Then I moved, had a bunch of other crap happen, and kind of fell off. Looking back over the posts I see some commonalities and differences: some are really great, some are pretty crappy, some are funny, others are hostile, some are easy and some are trying too hard. But they're all too long. So brevity is the name of the game now. I think this will represent an improvement. And I just heard a small sigh of relief (looking at you, Jackie). There may still be an grand essay from time to time, but I'm not in college anymore, so don't count on it. I will contribute every day that I can and you are invited to contribute as well. There may also be a migration over to word press in the near future, more to come on that...umm...in the future...
Today's thought: Glenn Beck got kinda'-fired from Fox News. Maybe they are moving away from divisive and erratic hate speech? Or maybe people really aren't that nuts? Or maybe P-Diddy was right all along: it really is all about the Benjamin's. Baby. Either way, it can't be anything but good. Maybe all of these guys and gals are on their way out the door. Maybe we'll have real news again one day. As much as my liberal friends decry the Fox News, there are channels and shows that pander to the liberal audience as well. They are just as much a part of the problem. Information should never be beholden to any interest but its own: being known.

This psuedo-firing can go in the right direction for all of us, but it needs to be a demand by the people and for the people. I leave you with a thought that I happen to think is pretty freakin' excellent (and relevant):

"A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue then will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader."
-Samuel Adams